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Problem with Keppra
Sun, 10/21/2007 - 22:43Topic: Medication Issues
Hi All, I started Keppra a week ago. After first dose I was confused and unsteady while standing or walking. I also cry often which is so unlike me. I have never been a sad or unhappy person but now I cry at the drop of a hat! I don't trust myself to make decisions while taking Keppra. Talked to the neuro on Friday as I am trying to return to work. I told him how this med was affecting me. He stated, as before, "Keppra has no side effects, stop thinking about it so much". In my work I have close contact with geriatric residents and sound judgement is a must. My question to you is how long did it take you to tolerate this med (if ever?)Did you find any tricks to help you along such as with food?Anything that may help.I want to return to work on a part-time basis.I am a nurse in a small nursing home/rehab center and quick thinking while on the run is required.At this time I find that I no longer have the qualities that allowed me to be good at what I love to do.I have little or no experiance with AED,any advice?
Comments
Re: Re: Problem with Keppra
Submitted by catsamu on Fri, 2007-10-26 - 10:07
I think Keppra is approved in Europe as monotherapy, but in the US as an add-on treatment. Probably more and more US doctors are using it as monotherapy--it's the only med my doctor ever prescribed for me (and I'm in the US), and it seems to work for me as monotherapy just fine so far. I bet it won't be long before the US officially approves it as a stand-alone treatment. I don't know why they haven't, actually.
Deb
Re: Problem with Keppra
Submitted by Matthew Simington on Sun, 2007-10-28 - 23:15
I am on Tegretol (1200mgs), Keppra (250mgs), and Lyrica (450mgs).
Keppra seems to make me "confused" more than anything else. I just can't tell what I am doing, am supposed to be doing, or was doing. On my current dose I'm ok, but not as good as without it. I can't tolerate any more than I am taking right now, but have tried for months at a time.
I also have problems with fatigue, but this goes with the others as well.
When I first started Keppra I had real problems with irritability, but this is better now, after about a year. (I am also a little better at dealing with it when it does occur once and a while - I just have to think, "Wait, maybe I'm feeling like this because of the Keppra. OK, stop focusing on a problem, or whatever you are doing to make it worse. Until you feel better don't think about being upset and don't say anything bad.").
I have not had problems with depression (any more than on my other drugs), or with crying. However I did take Zonegran for a while and this was a major problem for the first few days, but then it went away. I stopped Zonegran because I was a "space cadet" while on it.
My doctor added Lyrica to my Tegretol and Keppra and it helped a lot. It cut down on some of my auras. But more importantly, it way improved my mental energy and ability to focus. It also helped my mood and outlook.
- Matthew
Re: Problem with Keppra
Submitted by ShortCircuit on Thu, 2007-10-25 - 16:29
Hi, I've been on Keppra for just under 2 months. I was on Topamax prior to that and wanna talk about nasty side effects? (seriously cognitively deficient, visual problems, depression/anxiety/insomnia, cramps to name a few). The reason I went to Keppra was because it's known for having minimal side effects. Here's the problem. The side effects for Keppra are "behavioral". I have noticed this. While I was depressed/anxious while on Topamax, I feel more rage and even more depressed. I don't know if it's because the circumstances of my life aren't ideal. THe last couple of years have been not so hot. I read that vitamin B6 helps. I take one in the morning (w/ 750 Keppra) and one in the evening w/ 1500 mg Keppra). It helps most of the time but during menstrual cycles, I'm a mess. Still....I hope that my body will adjust after a while. My question is that I read Keppra wasn't used as a monotreatment, yet my neuro has me only on Keppra. I was wondering why the change.